The Worst Basketball Teams in the Western Conference

Unlike the National Football League, the National Basketball Association does not have a whole lot of parity. From year to year, you can usually take the last 8 teams standing in one post-season, and end up with 5, 6, or 7 of the same ones in the following season's Elite 8.

That is good for those teams on top, because it is a sign that there is not as much turnover in their league, so that if you're good one year, barring injury, the chances are that you will be good the next year. It usually takes something very drastic to turn a good team into a bad team in one season.

However, for the bad teams, this lack of parity is scary. Often, most bottom feeding teams lack talent because of salary cap issues, bad markets, or unlucky draft lotteries. Thus, some teams are bad, and remain that way for years and years to come. Such as these Western Conference teams, which seem to be at the bottom of the Western Standings year after year, along with some of this season's newly acquired bottom feeders.

Veteran Bottom Feeders

Memphis Grizzlies (13-35) - Trading Pau Gasol was the nail in the coffin with this team. It's not like they were exactly about to turn it around with Pau Gasol, but with a winning percentage of 27% with Gasol, you have to wonder how bad it can get with Kwame Brown taking his place. Jerry West was supposed to turn this team around over the past few years, but the team that has yet to have won a playoff game, got worse even with West. Thus the man who was the motivation for the NBA logo, no longer has a job in the Country Music capitol.

Los Angeles Clippers (15-31) They fooled you with that one good season in 2005-2006, huh? They fooled me, too! But never shall I fall for the roost again. Everything about this team is bad, from the owner, to the general manager, to the players on the court. The coach, Mike Dunleavy, is probably the one good thing they have going for them, but the owner and GM won't get him any talent. They prefer to their season in the hands of young draft picks who sell jerseys for 1 or 2 seasons. That's not exactly a way to win games in the NBA, you know?

New Bottom Feeders

Seattle Sonics (13-36) - I wasn't quite sure whether or not this team should be classified as new to losing or a veteran of the practice. I went with "new", considering that they have won the division in recent years and were competitive when they didn't have the injuries. But those days don't seem to be on the horizon. With rookies Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, this team has a lot of growing to do over the next two or three seasons. And if they move from Seattle to Oklahoma City, tendencies show that could set the franchise back a year or two by itself.

Minnesota Timberwolves (10-37) - Those glory years with Kevin Garnett seem like ancient history to T-wolve fans. Even though they only got out of the first round once with KG, they did win many games during the season. And to go from that, to winning very few games each season, is a big drop off. The GM's decision to trade KG for a bunch of young talent doesn't exactly preach stability. If at least two of those former Celtics players don't pan out, this organization is headed for Clipperville.